Shock absorber and snubber combined



March 22, 1927.

y 1,622,200 c. H. LINN Y VSHOCK ABsoRBER AND SNUBBER COMBINED Filed Jan. 27. 1925 Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

PAT-ENT Aoirl-1mr,.

` .cnnnnns H. Linn, .or OAKLAND, tonly,rroinvrii.

SHOCK AIBSORBER AND SNUBBER COMBINED.

.Application filed January 27, 1926. Serial No. 84,249.

prevent excessive movement ,of the vehicle bodyrelative to thevehicle axles.

The primary object of the invention is to l*provide a combined shock absorber and -snubber which is simple in .construction and cheap to manufacture, .which is capable of beingv `readily placed into practical use, which-is efficient and durable incoperation, and ,whichwill materially increase 'the comfort of riding. f

Another object is, to provide an improved shock absorber which will yieldingly resist undue movement of thevehicle body relativel to theaxle and .thereby relievethe vehicle .springs of excessive stresses and strains.

Anotheruobject is .to provide a snubberltor -e'tl'ectively cushioningthe rebounding of a vehicle body wherein Athe body )and raxles undergo. a relative movement toward each .other.

A still further object is to provide an improved combined shock absorber and snubber tor yieldingly resisting undue movement of .thevehicle body :relative to the axle, and wherein resistance is oiiiered to :the movement of tliebodyand axle away from each other and .a `.greater `resistance Votl'e're'd to their relative vmovement toward each other as occurs during the rebound.

' .lVith the .above general objects .in view, `and others thatzwill'become .apparent .as the nature of the'inventionis better understood, thesaine consistsin the novel form, combination :and .arrangement o-l .parts hereinaitermore fully describechshown in the rac- .zcoinpanying `drawing and claimed.

lln the drawing, zwherein like' reference .characters .throughout the several views,

` xT Figure. l :isan invertedly fragmentary side elevational view. showing a combined shock absrber l and snubber .constructed .in accordance \with: the present invention and v.opera- Ltiveliyaassociated witha vehicle spring, axle yfand side chassis rail;

SFigurefQ. is .a view in `plan:loo-king .downwardly ,on the structure of Figure 1 with tha-vehicley springxpart-ly .broken :away to Arevealother parts; l

.TE-igure f3 :is lan'enlarged:transverse :sec-

indicate `corr'esponding partsv tional view taken upon lineS-,Snof'ligure Figure 4 is .an enlarged transversezsection take; substantially upon line 4-1401: Figure Referring more in detail tothe drawing, A5 indicates the side railof a vehicle chassis frame, and 6 'indicates the usual vehicileffleaf spring arranged longitudinally 0f land lbeneath the rail f5 with the forward ends :of the rail and spring connected in the 1 usual'inanyner as indicated vat v7, and -wiat'hthe usual vaxle 8 rigidly connected to the-intermediate portion of the leaf spring inthe usual'manller.

'The `plesent invention .embodies a double acting pneumatic resistance device includino: a cylinder ,or barrel y9frigidlyfafduached at itsy outer-end to theside chassis rail lby means of a suatablebraclet :as'generally indicagted at @10, adjacent to the point ,of conslidable longitudinally thro/ugh Ia'suitable paclnnggland 13 provided for the vinner .end i foi the cylinder .or barrel. 9.

Abell cranlr lever 14 is pivotally .connected to the intermediate portion ofthe Vleatspringr 6, such as bybeing pivoted to a suitable bracketclipped on .the axle 8. asiat l5, and the, end of one arni. otthebell .crank lever 14 is pivotally attached to ythe .outer :end of thepiston rod 1-2asatl16. A dependingrod 17 is fixed at its yupper end to the side rail 5 andhas its lower end pivotally 'attached ias :at .18 yto the adjacent vendv` ofthe `other arinof the bell'cranli lever-14,and it is thus apparent that when the 4rail `5 and spring 6 v*move so as to .cause 'the Irail 5. and axle 8 .to move toward each other the rod 17 will `.cause Athe bell 'crank klever 14 4.tb swing ina direction for pulling outwardly .upon the piston rod 12 andmovi-ngthe pistonll toward theinner end off thefcylinde'r VV or barrel 9L On the other hand, by .reason ofythis constructiolnit-wilfl be apparentthat upon :separating movement between the axlegand rail, the rod 1i?- will exert a pul1 upon the bell. crank leverli for swing.-

ring the-latter in the AOigipnste .direetqn and pushing upon the piston ro'd 12 to movethe piston 11 toward `the outer end of the cylinder or barrel 9. In either operation the relative movement between the axle `and the side rail will be yieldingly resisted by the air cushion in the active end of the cylinder or barrel, such air being admitted and allowed to slowly exhaust to suit conditions, in a manner which will now be described, for effectively absorbing shock. As shown clearly inFigure `3 the outer end of cylinder or barrel 9 is equipped with a spring seated and outwardly seating ball check valve 19 controlling an air intake port, and a manually adjustable needle valve 20 controlling an air exhaust port. In a like manner, the inner end of the cylinder is equipped with a spring seated and outwardly seating ball check valve 21 controlling an air intake port and a manually adjustable needle valve 22 controlling an exhaust port.

In applying the present invention to a motor vehicle the parts are adapted to be adjusted so that the piston 11 is normally midway between the ends of the cylinder or barrel 9 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, and in order to provide an adjustment for insuring this normal position of the piston, the rod 17 is attached to the rail 5 so as to be vertically adjustable. As shown, this adjustment is obtained by providing the rail 5 with a rigid angle bracket 23 having a horizontal arm provided with an aperture through which the rod 17 is freely' slidable at its upper end, the upper end portion of the rod 17 being suitably threaded to receive j amb nut-s 24 at opposite sides of the horizontal arm of bracket 23. By reason of this construction it is readily apparent that the rod 17 may be longitudinally vertically adjusted by backing away one of the jamb nuts and taking up upon the other or vice versa. It is accordingly apparent that in this way the piston rod 12 may be correspondingly adjusted so as to center'the piston `11 between the ends ot the cylinder 9 when the spring 6 is under normal load.

In the operation of the construction, thus far described, the axle 8 will be caused to approach the rail 5 when the wheels of the vehicle strike an obstruction or ine uality of the road surface, and when this ta tes place the leaf spring 6 will be flexed and the rod 17 will simultaneously rock bell crank lever 14 for pulling outwardly upon the piston rod 12 and causing the piston 1l to `move toward the inner or right hand end of the cylinder as viewed in Fig. 1. The air which has been previously drawninto this end of the cylinder through the air inletport controlled by valve 21 will accordingly be cornpressed and, by reason of the previous adjustment of needle valve 22 will be allowed to slowly exhaust or pass out of this end of the cylinder.. This air cushion .Will nat- 9. When this lattery operation takes place the movement of. the piston is resisted by the air cushion in the outer end of the cylinder 9 provided by the air which has previously entered through the port controlled by valve 19, such air being allowed to slowly escape through the exhaust port controlled by the 'previously adjusted needle valve 20. Ol

viously, the needle valves 20 and 22 may be adjusted to vary the escape of air to provide a pneumatic resistance of the desired character in accordance with the circumstances met with in using the inventionupon different types of automobiles.

The rebounding action above mentioned is usually very violent and accordingly causes considerable jolting and discomfort to the occupant-s of aivehicle. In order to effectively absorb the shocks and to offer additional resistance to the return movement` after the separating movement of the body or rail 5 `and the axle 8, I provide a snubbing means composed of a plurality of helical tension springs 25 disposed in spaced parallel relation at each side of the cylinder 9 and having their ends `respectivel connected with bracket plates 28 rigid with the opposite sides of the outer end portion of cylinder 9 and with bracket plates 29 rigid with the ends of a cross bar 30 adjustably mounted upon the intermediate portion of the piston rod 12, whereby said springs 25 will cooperate with the air cushion provided lor at the inner end of the cylinder 9 for resisting the relative movement of the axle and body or chassis `rail 5 toward each other. Naturally, these springs 25 will be adjusted to act against and relieve the leaf spring 5 sutliciently to return the piston 11 to its normal position midway between the ends of the cylinder so that they will only be placed undcradditional tension when the piston moves from such midway position toward the inner end of thecylinder. For obtaining this adjustment the cross bar` 30 is slidably mounted on the piston rod 12 andengages at its inner side with a stop nut 31 adjustably threaded upon the intermediateportion of the rod 12 as shown. As shown, the bracket plates 28 and 29 areprovided with series of apertures in whichare engaged hooks formed on the ends of the springs 25 so that the latter are effectively attached.

From the foregoing description itis believed that the. construction and operation .llO

as well as the advantages of the present inadapted to be fixed to the vehicle `lrame and a movable part attached to one arm ot said bell crank lever, and means to connect the other arm of said bell crank lever to the vehicle frame.

2. A device like that set forth in claim l, wherein said last named means comprises a rod vertically adjustable relative to the frame, and wherein said pneumatic resistance device embodies a cylinder having a piston movable therein, and adapted to be normally centered between the ends ot the cylinder by the adjustment of said rod relative to the vehicle frame.

3. A device like that set forth in claim l, wherein elastic tension means is provided between the lixed and movable parts of the pneumatic resistance device for additionally resist-ing movement of the vehicle axle and vehicle frame toward each other.

4. A flexible suspension system for vehicles, comprising a bell crank lever, means to pivotally attach said bell crank lever to the axle of the vehicle, a double acting pneumatic resistance device embodying a part adapted to be lixed to the vehicle trame and a movable part attached to one arm of said bell crank lever, means to connect the other arm of said bell crank lever to the vehicle trame, said pneumatic resistance device embodying a cylinder constituting said lixed part, and a piston movable in the cylinder and having a rigid rod constituting the movable part, a plurality of helical tension springs disposed longitudinally of and at opposite sides of said cylinders, a cross bar adjustable longitudinally of the piston rod, and bracket plates rigid with the cylinder and cross bar and respectively having the opposite ends of the springs connected thereto whereby said springs may offer additional resistance to movement of the vehicle frame and vehicle axle toward each other.

5. A combined shock absorber and snubber attachment for vehicles comprising a double acting pneninatic resistance device having a Cylinder and piston carrying rod, means t0 lix the cylinder to a vehicle frame, a bell crank lever, means to pivotally attach the bell crank lever to a vehicle axle, means to pivotally attach one arm of the bell crank lever to the piston rod, and means t-o adjustably connect the other arm of the bell crank lever to the vehicle frame, and spring means operatively connecting the cylinder and the piston rod for resisting movement of the piston in one direction.

6. A combined shock absorber' and snubber attachment for vehicles comprising a double acting pneumatic resistance device having a cylinderl and piston carrying rod, means to lix the cylinder to a vehicle frame, a bell crank lever, means to pivotally attach the bell crank lever to a vehicle axle, means to pivotallyy attach one arm of the bell crank lever to the piston rod, and means to adjustably connect the other arm of the bell crank lever to the vehicle frame, and spring means operatively connectingthe cylinder and the piston rod for resisting movement of the piston in one direction, said last named spring means comprising elastic tension devices disposed at opposite sides oit' the cylinder exteriorly of the latter.

7. A combined shock absorber and snubber attachment for vehicles comprising a double acting pneumatic resistance device having a cylinder and piston carrying rod, means to fix the cylinder to a vehicle frame, a bell crank lever, ymeans to pivotally attach the bell crank lever to a vehicle axle, means to pivotally attach one arm of the bell crank lever t0 the piston rod, and means to adjustably connect the other arm of the bell crank lever to tbe vehicle frame, and spring means operatively connecting the cylinder and the piston rod for resisting niovement of the piston in one direction, said last named spring means comprising elastic tension devices disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder exteriorly oi' the latter, said elastic tension devices comprising bracket plates respectively rigid with the cylinder and adjustable longitudinally oi' the piston rod, and tension springs operatively connecting said bracket plates.

CHARLES H. LINN. 

